Twitch streamer Kai Cenat revealed earlier this year that he had begun reading every day to improve his reading skills and his articulation. Videos from a “secret” YouTube channel are circulating online, showing him timing himself while reading pages of books like “Atomic Habits” by James Clear and looking up definitions in real time.
Based on the book choice and Cenat’s past actions, some believe this to be performative. Instead, they say he isn’t looking to improve and that this is just a sympathy ploy, especially following his breakup with ex Gabrielle “Gigi” Alayah.
There’s also a subset of people who genuinely believe his inability to read well is pathetic and are making fun of him online. People have also begun to mock him by recreating his reading videos.
Streamers like SauceKill even went as far as to make his chat read pages out of “Atomic Habit.” The book’s reading level is for ninth grade and above. Yet SauceKill’s chat struggled to read simple words or read too slowly.
While Cenat’s struggle with reading has garnered a variety of reactions, it's not uncommon. According to the National Literacy Institute, as of 2024-25, 54% of adults have a reading level below a sixth-grade level and 20% have a reading level below a fifth-grade level.
With over half the adult nation struggling to read and comprehend, it's not that surprising that Cenat is struggling to read.
Cenat’s reading journey, genuine or not, might encourage his younger viewers to take literacy and comprehension seriously. 40% of fourth graders are performing below the National Assessment of Educational Progress’s Basic proficiency level in reading.
According to the NAEP, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, a third of eighth graders are below the reading benchmark. People argue that Cenat’s reading journey is an opportunity for younger viewers to realize the importance of literacy and comprehension.
This has caused contention online between those who mock Cenat and those who believe, even if it is performative, that he is still helping. The latter fears that the mockery and shaming may discourage those who are not reading proficiently, especially younger people, from improving their skills.
Despite a large population of people not being proficient readers, the negative stigma around low reading skills persists.
People like Mychal, a librarian on TikTok with over 800,000 followers, have encouraged Cenat and others to continue improving their literacy and reading more.
In a deleted tweet, rapper Doechii recommended Cenat read some Toni Morrison to expand his vocabulary and praised Morrison’s emotional and detailed work.
db948724@ohio.edu
